Cricket's unpredictables look for 1992 encore

A lot has happened in the 23 years since Pakistan lifted their first and only World Cup trophy, also in Australia. In one of the game's biggest scandals, a British court convicted three Pakistan cricketers for spot-fixing. The country has been isolated from hosting major international cricket after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009. During the 2007 World Cup, their coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in a hotel room in Jamaica. The Pakistan board has had 15 chairmen in last three decades and, for the last year, has been tangled in court cases over its president. The board's constitution has been rewritten several times. Yet Pakistan cricket continues to breathe, survive, and endure. Every awful incident is followed by a comeback that resonates with the rest of the cricket world.

The current Pakistan team is not blessed with cricketers of the calibre of Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad or Inzamam-ul-Haq. Most of this team is made up of young developing players. Given their inexperience, they may look like one of the World Cup's weakest frontline teams. But Pakistan's unpredictability - their defining trait over decades - means that the opposition will not underestimate them.

Saeed Ajmal's withdrawal from the World Cup squad, to work on his bowling action after he was suspended in September, was a big blow to the side and that was compounded by Mohammad Hafeez's suspension due to an illegal action. Hafeez will have his action officially re-tested on February 6 and the PCB hopes that he will be cleared in time for the tournament.

Pakistan have had some success in their search for part-time spinners to fill the gap left by Ajmal and Hafeez, but given the conditions, their pace battery remains their biggest strength. The loss of Junaid Khan to injury, however, has depleted an attack that also includes Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz. Pakistan's chances will depend more on how their batsmen fare. Most members of the team have not played any international cricket in Australia. Pakistan can be expected to move past the group stage but given the inexperience, the knockouts will be tougher.

Younis Khan was nowhere close to a spot in the ODI squad until six months back, but has made a place in the World Cup team after an exceptional Test run-feast against Australia and New Zealand in the UAE. His selection has prompted much debate but in an inexperienced line-up, the seasoned campaigner can be seen as a mainstay in the middle order. Apart from Misbah and Afridi, this World Cup could well be his last.

With plenty of talent at their disposal, Pakistan were consistent semi-finalists between 1979 and 1987, before winning the tournament in 1992. Their record since then has been inconsistent. They were weak finalists in 1999 and faded fast in 2003. The 2007 World Cup was Pakistan's most forgettable - their coach Bob Woolmer died in mysterious circumstances a few hours after Pakistan's shock defeat at the hands of Ireland had sent them out of the World Cup. In 2011, with the shadow of the spot-fixing scandal still lurking, they made it to the final four.

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan's 40-year-old captain, will be one of the oldest players in the tournament. He has the capacity to steer Pakistan out of storms into passages of calm. An undisputed giant of modern cricket, Misbah would want to inspire his young team and given his patience and ability to build an innings, he could be the prime target for every opponent.

Shahid Afridi
Despite an eventful 18-year-career, Shahid Afridi revealed in September that he still wanted to record cricket's fastest ODI fifty. His selection for the 2015 World Cup has not been an automatic one with questions over inconsistency recently but his reputation as a big-game match-winner still lingers. The tournament will mark the end of a tumultuous ODI career and Afridi wants to sign off on a high.

Umar Akmal
Umar Akmal is an important cog in Pakistan's batting and one of their most valuable finds since fast bowler Mohammad Amir burst on to the scene. In 2011, he finished the tournament as the second-highest run scorer for his team (240 runs at an average of 48) and he could well dominate this tournament. A flamboyant batsman who is unafraid to chase big totals, he also gives his side a vital mid-innings kick when batting first.

Mohammad Irfan
The world's tallest fast bowler at seven feet one inch, Irfan requires gentle handling. By his own team, that is. In the last two years, his brittle body has broken down on various occasions, but his ability to recover and return stronger indicates both will and appetite. Irfan is capable of rattling any batting line-up with the ability to mix steepling bounce with discomfiting speed.

While Pakistan are known for their belligerent batsmen like Afridi and Akmal, Misbah's captaincy seeks to draw a line between aggression and recklessness. With an in-form Misbah, Pakistan could bring a far smoother and methodical approach to their game. "I would rather win a game with a defensive approach rather than losing it by being aggressive," Misbah has often said.

Pakistan are capable of being the most astonishing and the most infuriating team in the space of two games. The pace and bounce of Australian pitches, as well as their inexperienced batting line-up, may lead some to worry. Yet, Pakistan's ambitious, young batsmen can form a heady blend. A semi-final slot would be handsome reward. Then, unpredictable is as unpredictable does.

Sean Penn: Unpredictable, capable of swagger and bluster, and, on his day, can nab the big prize.

"Out of control" - Rolling Stones